Vegetarian Salad in a Bag Hack
A Vegetarian Salad in a Bag Hack is a stretched bagged salad mixture with added nuts, cheese, and favorite toppings to make it your own!
Friends, I hope you’re inspired by my Vegetarian Salad in a Bag Hack today. It’s nothing new, but a great reminder of how to stretch a “chopped salad kit” (company is stopping by?), or to just jazz up a salad. Maybe you tried My Favorite Strawberry Spinach Salad that I served last weekend (so good), but today’s post is super easy!
Vegetarian Salad in a Bag Hack
You can watch this post on Instagram to see how easy it is!
But first, our favorite meal while we were in the desert last month was at FARM. FARM is in Palm Springs. It was there that Abby, Paul, and I ate the most wonderful dinner and salad. We were celebrating getting the first round of book edits completed. If you haven’t preordered my book yet, Big Boards for Families, I would be forever grateful (plus you can WIN a big board!)
The experience at FARM is like being transported to the South of France. Let’s just say it’s an extraordinary sensory experience, with beautiful floral landscaping, to our incredible authentic menu comprised of the freshest ingredients, using locally sourced foods. Get onto Open Table early to make your reservation if you’re in the Palm Springs area!
On a “salad in a bag” kick
Ever since we enjoyed those salads, we’ve been on a salad kick, which is why I want to share my Salad in a Bag Hack with you. It’s a way to dress up a salad in a bag quickly, and make it tasty and good enough for company!
Stretch and improve the salad
I think sometimes we forget that a salad in a bag can be a complete meal – containing, not only fresh greens, but also different components of a great salad, such as cheese, croutons, and dressing. Take all the ingredients, toss them in a bowl, and your salad is ready to be served!
But take it a step further! My hack is to stretch the salad to feed more, and add a lot more nutrition.
It can be used as a main course for lunch or as a perfect side salad during dinner.
How do I get salad in a bag to last longer?
Did you know all you have to do is open the bagged salad and place a paper towel inside? The paper towel absorbs moisture, meaning your lettuce leaves don’t.
This simple trick keeps your stored greens crisp and fresh for (usually) over a week.
I’ve used a paper towel in a bag with the big heads of romaine lettuce and kept the leaves fresh for almost three weeks.
Ingredients for stretching a Vegetarian Salad in a Bag
For my salad today, all you need are these ingredients:
- Salad in a bag
- Lemon (Meyer Lemon is the best!)
- Red onion
- Spinach
- Toasted pecans
- Avocado
- Cracked black pepper
- Serve with Trader Joe’s Parmesan toasts
Bagged Salad Kit
My bagged salad is this Sunflower Crisp Chopped Salad Kit by Fresh Express.
It’s refreshing, with roasted edamame, roasted sunflower seeds, and toasted quinoa, crisp kale, romaine and cabbage, with delicious sweet onion dressing.
The secret for me in making this for a meal for my husband and me is to add the “extras” and then protein (optional), like rotisserie chicken or leftover steak.
Add a half squeezed lemon–this really makes the salad.
Then add fresh avocado, with cracked black pepper —so good!
Voila! You’re done. Wasn’t that easy? Which chopped salad kits are your favorites? Share your salad hack with me on @reluctantentertainer on Instagram. I’d love to see your creations! You can watch mine, here!
More delicious salads:
Skinny Pink Salmon Green Salad Recipe
Get the Recipe:
Vegetarian Salad in a Bag Hack
Ingredients
- 1 bag Sunflower Crisp Chopped Salad Kit by Fresh Express
- ½ Meyer lemon, juiced
- Thin slices red onion
- 2-4 handfuls of fresh spinach
- ½ cup toasted pecans
- 1 avocado
- Cracked black pepper
Instructions
- Place the salad kit ingredients in a large bowl, including the dressing.
- Add ½ fresh squeezed lemon.
- Add the red onions, spinach, toasted pecans, and toss.
- Lastly, add the cubed avocado and fresh cracked pepper. Serve and enjoy!
Hello and welcome to my home and table!
I’m Sandy—lover of food, family, cooking, THE BIG BOARD, travel, and bringing people together. Through great recipes and connection around the table, we become better, stronger, and more courageous people. Feasting on Life is real, and every time we do it, we grow a little more. Read more...
